Life-boat.



J. S. WHITAKER.

LIFE BOAT.

MPUCATIQN FILED JUNE 26, IQIE.

1,300,906. Patented Apr. 15,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- N. Mme-F 95 k J. S. WHITAKER.

LIFE BOAT.

AAAAAAAAAAA FI-LED JUNE 25, IBIS.

1,300,906- Patented Apr. 15,1919.

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LIFE BOAT.

APPLICATION HLED JUNEZS, IQIE 1,300,906. Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- "57717595 J (St 51307;

JAMES S. WHITAKER, OF S AN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

firs-BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 15,

Application filed June 26, 1916. Serial No. 105,901.

.729 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES S. WHITAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San 'Fran cisco and State of California, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Life-Boats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to life boats and has for its primary object to provide an air tight unsinkable casing having communication with the outside atmosphere by means of tubes, the entrance ends of which being held above the surface of the float.

Besides the above my invention is distinguished in the novel manner of reinforcing the air tight casing throughout its length and further in the construction of a propelling device that may be reciprocated from the interior of the casing for giving progressive movement to the boat.

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of the boat.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of one of the floats.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates the casinghaving a cigar shape and forming the body of the boat. The interior of the casing is sub-divided by means of partitions 2 into a passenger compartment 3. The sheet iron or steel forming the casing has the ends thereto clamped by means of a conical head 5. For allowing access to the passenger compartment 3 I provide a number of doors 6, while a number of windows 7 are provided for allowing lig t to enter into the compartment 3. In this particular instance the window consists of a glass plate 8 mounted in guides 9 so as to move to a position to uncover or cover a slot 10 in the casing. By this arrangement it will be seen that in calm weather air may enter through the slots 10, but in stormy weather, the slots will be closed and air must enter the compartment 3 in a manner hereinafter described.

The casing is materially reinforced by water a phere and at the means of a series of longitudinal extending ribs 11 associated with a series of transverse ribs 12, the lar instance T shaped in cross section.

A plurality of flexible tubes 13 each have one end secured to the casing, and Communicating with the interior thereto, while the remaining end is secured to cates with the interior of a hollow float 14 adapted to ride upon the surface of the water. For allowing communication between the interior of the'flo'at a-ndthe atmossame time prevent water from entering into the float I provide an intake pipe 15, the exposed end of which being covered by a conical cap 16 spaced from the end of the tube so as to allow the passage of air.

From this arrangement it will be seen that air may readily enter into the compartment 3 irrespective of climatic conditions.

The propelling device for giving progressive movements to the boat consists of a rod 17 slidably mounted in liquid tight bearings 18 and 19. The end 20 of the rod that projects exteriorly of the casing has hingedly connected thereto one end of each of a plurality of paddles 21. Rigidly secured to the end portion 20 is a clamp 22 to which is secured one end of each of a plurality of resilient strips 23, the other ends of which are attached to intermediate portions of the paddles as indicated at 24.

The resilient strips 23 are of sufficient strength to permit the blades to diverge at their rear portions, with reference to each other, on the power stroke, thereby increasing the thrust imparted to the boat. On the opposite stroke the blades tend to approach each other so that they ofl'er but little resistance in passing through the water and do pg; materially impede the progress of the To complete my invention I provide a rudder 25, the shaft 26 of which being mounted in bearings 27 and rotated by any suitable steering mechanism connected to a rope 28 that passes around a pulley 29 secured to the shaft 26. From the foregoing description it will be seen that I provide a life boat that is able to withstand the roughest usage to which a device of this character is subjected, while ribs being in this particuand communiat the same time capable of supplying the necessary air to the occupants and allo lving the oceepanm te have ready acce$ to a supply of food or Water that may be stored in certain of the compartments 4.

It should be apparent from'the foregoing that I provide an apparatus which is admirably adapted for the purpose for which it is intended, that the device is simple, duraand efficient of construction, which may be manufactured and said at a comparatively low cost.

What I claim :iS:

1, A life boat comprising a hollow casing, reeipreeating propelling means aperalole from within the casing, and a steering means eperable from within the casing, said propelling means including a shaft, a plurality' 10f blades, pivotally mounted at the ends thereof -on sald shaft, and resilient devices each connected at one end with the shaft, andpivetally connected at the oppocm at as: arent my be obtained. in:

' posed on site end with the blade intermediate of the ends thereof. 7 V

2. A life boat comprising a holiow casing, longitudinal ribs disposed at intervals on the exterior surface thereof, transverse ribs disthe exterior surface thereof and engaging said longitudinal ribs, reinforcing' ends afliXed to said casing, reciprocating means for propelling the boat and operable from within the casing, and steering means (rperablefrmn within the casing, said casing including an end portion of approximately conical formation, the apex being cut away, and a conical head provided with a flange, the latter inclesing the adiacent Walls of the cutaway portion, a transverse partition member within the end portion, and a lcngitudinal partitien member between the transverse member and the conical head.

In testimony whereofi I afiix my signature.

JAMES s. WHITAKER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patentl, wellington, .0. 

